Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
After years of protest, a pesticide has been released in the Miramichi watershed as part of a project to eradicate the invasive smallmouth bass. Salmon conservation groups confirm Sept. 8 marked the first application of Noxfish II, a chemical that includes rotenone. It was released in Lake Brook and approximately 15 kilometres of the Southwest Miramichi River.
The project to eradicate invasive smallmouth bass from Miramichi Lake by using rotenone is now underway, according to people who oppose the plan. On Thursday, Indigenous opponents of the project were again canoeing on the lake to prevent workers from pouring the toxin into the water. This is what prevented the project from going ahead last year, because the chemical can't be applied when there are people on the water. There are also unconfirmed reports of an arrest. According to multiple sources, including opponent and cottage-owner Barb Hildebrand, one of the people camping on the beach in the hopes of waylaying the project was arrested by provincial peace officers Thursday and accused of theft.
